Vermilion Rose
by cute yellow kiwi
Summary: Takahiro makes a deal with Usami, a demon, agreeing to a pay a price to make his life better. Little did he know the price would be his little brother Misaki. Romantica Usami/Misaki Now with Egoist Nowaki/Hiroki and Terrorist Miyagi/Shinobu
1. It begins

Here's my new story, dedicated to the pairing of Usami/Misaki. The other couples will make their appearances in other chapters, don't worry! Please enjoy.

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

"As a result of this unfortunate...accident_,_ I'll be taking care of Misaki," Takahiro whispered with his head bowed, putting an arm around his younger brother who was only eight years old.

It had been two days since their parents death and Takahiro still could not feel anything. Everything seemed to be motionless, like time had not existed and his life had just stopped. He had to be strong for his brother though, so Takahiro had to take control and step up to the plate to make sure nothing happened to the only family he had left.

"Are you serious?! You're still a child yourself! I will take Misaki in and make sure nothing happens to him," a shrill female voice spoke up from the back of the funeral.

Well, Misaki was the only the family he had left that he cared about. His aunt, his mother's sister, was not someone he considered family. She had always been concerned with herself and was very selfish, taking any advantage she could get her hands on to make a profit. There was no way that he would leave Misaki in that..._lady's _hands. She probably just wanted the money that their parents left them in their will.

Takahiro tightened his hold on Misaki. "I am an adult, Aunt Mitsuko, and I've decided to drop out of college to work for a business. I will have no problem raising Misaki by myself, rest assure." He finished his sentence with a glare directed at the woman.

Mitsuko glared right back, not wanting to lose this battle.

"Mitsuko, Takahiro knows what he has to do to keep Misaki. Let's just let him do what he wants and if needs help, he can come to us." The small group in the funeral home murmured their consent on the arrangement.

Takahiro smiled for the first time since the accident. The older man who had spoke up was a very close family friend of their father's. As long as one person was on his side, he felt he could raise Misaki without giving him up to his aunt.

Mitsuko was taken aback from the response from the man, but soon recovered and put on a fake smile.

"Yes. If the time comes when you need help, do not hesitate to call," Mitsuko took a deep breath and looked right into Takahiro's eyes, "nephew." She swiftly turned around and left the parlor.

Takahiro couldn't shake the feeling that something ominous was coming, but persuaded himself it was just a feeling. He knelt down on one knee so he was Misaki's height.

"Everything is going to be okay Misaki." Misaki looked at his brother with a sad expression and nodded once. He stretched out his arms and hugged Takahiro around the shoulders.

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

_Three Months Later_

How could this have happened?! Everything was falling apart, everything! Somehow his bank account funds were depleted even though he had been very diligent in saving money. He was fired from his job under the charges of embezzlement, even though he had done no such thing! He was due in court in one week for the false charges. At first he tried contacting family friends for help but found out that they were all having similar money problems. Then he tried taking out loans, to pay back later, but even that did not work. The last resort would be to call Mistuko...

"WHY ME?" Takahiro slammed the wall with his right fist. Breathing deeply, he leaned onto the wall for support and slid down to the floor. The first two months had been great; he had found a decent sized apartment and worked everyday to make a living for him and his brother. Then the third month came around and everything went down hill...what happened?

"Nii-chan?" Misaki questioned quietly, emerging from his room only to discover his brother sitting on the floor with his head in his hands. "What's wrong?"

Takahiro quickly looked up and rubbed his eyes. "Ah, nothing is wrong Misaki. Uh...you see…" Takahiro trailed off and glanced to the side unable to look at his younger brother. He should just tell him the truth. "It's just that...we might have to ask Aunt Mitsuko for some hel--" He was interrupted when the phone rang. Takahiro sighed and lifted himself off of the floor to answer it.

"Hello?" Takahiro asked in a depressed voice.

"Ah, Takahiro, I'm calling to see how everything is...and by that 'hello' I can tell you seem down. How is life for you and your brother?"

"Aunt Mitsuko!" _How convenient for her to call when _suddenly_ everything has gone wrong...Wait!!! It--It couldn't have been...Aunt Mitsuko's doing, right? _His aunt could be very cunning when she wanted to be...what if she had set Takahiro up?

"I'm fine, Misaki is fine, we're all fine! Goodbye!" Takahiro slammed the phone on the receiver and grabbed his coat. He leaned down and ruffled Misaki's hair.

"Nii-chan?"

"I'm going to go for a walk for a little bit, all right Misaki? I'll be back soon." With that Takahiro left.

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

Takahiro was thinking so much that he didn't even realize he was standing in a cemetery until he almost walked into a shrine. Night had fallen and the temperature was starting to drop. Wrapping his arms around himself he carefully walked around the small monument.

_This is where mom and dad are burried… _

He walked towards the center of the cemetery, to the location where his parents were buried three months ago. Kneeling down in front of the graves with his palms pressed together he began to speak.

"Mom, dad, I'm sorry I can't do anything right. You've got to believe me, I don't know what has been happening lately. I am trying so hard to give Misaki the life he deserves but…I just wish..." Takahiro paused and shut his eyes.

"If only there was something I could do to fix everything! Please help me…" He bowed his head, trying to hold back all the emotions swirling in his mind.

"Hmm what's this? Talking to the dead? You know, I don't think they can hear you."

Takahiro lifted his head quickly and spun around to see an older man towering over him. He was dressed in a navy blue jacket that reached just above his knees, complete with a soft, cream colored scarf wrapped around his neck. His eyes were an entrancing shade of amethyst, capturing Takahiro's attention immediately.

"Wh-who are you! What gives you the right to listen to other people's conversations, huh?!" Takahiro stood in a defensive stance, backing away slightly.

"I am who I am and you are who you are. Although you are just you, I happen to be someone who can help those in need. And you," the man paused and leaned against a crumbling tombstone, "look to be in need of help." The man finished with a smirk and raised his hand up, snapping his fingers. In a puff of green smoke a scroll appeared out of thin air and landed in the man's awaiting hand.

Takahiro could only gape at what had just occurred.

"H-how is th-that possible? Is this some sort of trick?!" He yelled backing away even further.

"Do not worry about such trivial things. It just so happened I heard your wish and I am here to help...for a price, of course." the man smiled and unraveled the scroll. "Let's see, it seems a woman named Mitsuko has been causing you a lot of grief lately...Wow! It says here that she has set you up for fraud and has even stooped so low to cause other's around you problems with money too." The man began listing off the things Mitsuko had done not only in the past three months, but also things she had done her whole life.

Takahiro couldn't believe what he was hearing, how could this man know all of this? If what the stranger was saying was true, then Takahiro had done nothing wrong at all! He smiled, but then realized he was still at a loss of how to handle the problem.

"Oi! You in there?" The man questioned and began to speak again. "Like I said before, I can help but it will cost you."

Takahiro had no idea what he was dealing with. But maybe...maybe this man could help him and his brother. He promised himself he would not turn back, and working up his confidence he asked in a trembling voice, "How much?"

The stranger smirked and walked over to Takahiro, wrapping an arm around him. He didn't notice the man's eyes flash red, or else he would have thought what a bad idea it was to discuss anything with him. "Let's discuss the damage, all right?" He lead Takahiro to a broken bench and sat him down. He also didn't notice that the man was giving off a terrible aura around him that felt like death, despair, and loneliness, or else he would thought twice about what kind of deal he was going to make.

"Let us begin."

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

Takahiro awoke with a start, jolting out of bed and looking wildly around the room. _How did I get back home? What happened last night? _He paused, trying to remain calm and began to remember. _That's right! I was in the cemetery when...when...I visited mom and dad's grave...then I walked...back home, right? Yes, that's what happened. _

Satisfied with his memory, Takahiro made his bed and walked into the kitchen for some coffee. He was surprised to see two police officers sitting at the kitchen table talking to Misaki.

"Uh..Excuse me? What's going on?"

The two police officers stood. "Nothing to worry about Takahashi-san, we need to talk to you about your aunt."

It turned out that Mitsuko was caught on camera framing  Takahiro in the business he worked in. Also when confronted by police, Mitsuko admitted to stealing from Takahiro's bank funds and other close family friends. The police were there to inform Takahiro on how to retrieve the stolen money and to discuss what was going to happen to his aunt.

After thanking the officers for the thousandth time, he shut the door as they left and sighed in relief.

"Is everything back to normal Nii-chan?" Misaki looked up to his brother with his green eyes glistening.

"Yes. Everything is back to the way it should be."

Neither Takahiro nor Misaki noticed the shadowy figure on their balcony watching the whole scene take place.

"The payment...I cannot wait for that day to come…" The figure whispered then disappeared into the wind.

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

_Ten Years Later_

"Congratulations, Nii-chan!" Misaki smiled, happy for the couple standing in front of him. His brother had just announced that he was going to be married this fall.

"Thank you Misaki," Takahiro said, also smiling. "It means a lot to Minami-chan and I that you accept."

"Of course I would accept! You've raised me for the past ten years Nii-chan, it's about time you settled down!"

Takahrio laughed and wrapped an arm around Misaki to hug him.

_Ah, looks like I'm going to have to find a place of my own before_ _summer is over. _Takahiro released Misaki and walked over to Minami. _I don't want to ruin that new couple feeling. Hopefully I will be able to find something soon…_

After enjoying a lavish dinner prepared by Misaki, Takahiro left to walk Minami home. Sighing, Misaki fell onto the couch and hugged a pillow to his chest. _I wonder what's it like to be in love? _Misaki frowned at the sudden thought that had crossed his mind.

"Pfft, what am I thinking? I'm only eighteen….there's no need to settle down just yet."

"Oh, do you really think that? What a shame…"

Misaki jolted off the sofa and looked behind him to discover a man in his late twenties.

"Wha-H-How did you get in?!" Misaki looked at the front door but saw it was still locked. "Who are you?"

"I'm here to collect my debt. It's been ten years to this day, the exact amount we signed for in the contract." The man lazily held up a golden scroll for Misaki to see. "We agreed that I would solve Takahiro's problems in exchange for his body in ten years time." The stranger didn't even blink while speaking, keeping a monotone voice the entire time he spoke.

"You expect me to believe that? That's ridiculous! Get out before I call the cops!" Misaki was frantic, what the hell was this guy talking about? He reached for his cell phone on the table next to him.

The man narrowed his eyes at the boy's movement and swiftly reached out to capture him in a tight embrace. Misaki flushed, not used to being _that _close to another's body, nonetheless a man's. He began struggling when the stranger invaded his personal space even more by staring into eyes, leaving a few inches in between their faces.

"What? Let me go!" Misaki tried to escape but the man's grip on his smaller body was extremely tight. He grabbed onto the stranger's shirt and tried to pull away but the iron grip hold he had on Misaki did not even budge an inch.

"...You know, you are kinda cute. Let me test something…" The man pushed Misaki onto the couch and rested a knee on either side of the boy's body so he was straddling him. Misaki glanced up, confused at the sudden intrusion of his personal space. He blushed when the man began to trail his hand up his shirt.

"OI!! STOP IT, YOU PERVERT!" Misaki yelled and began thrashing.

"The name's Usami Akihiko brat. Now try saying it!" Usami used his body to hold Misaki down while he used his left hand to reach into the boy's pants. While teasing Misaki's lower half, he began nip at Misaki's neck. He stroked the flesh until it was erect and throbbing. Misaki tried to escape, but his attempts were becoming half-hearted when he felt the pleasure of another doing this to him.

"Ple-please Usagi-san...st-stop...let g-go…" Misaki mumbled, saying Usami's name wrong. Usami raised an eyebrow at the boy's attempts to stop him.

"It's Usami, but I kind of like when you said 'Usagi-san'. Say it again," Usami demanded, squeezing the boy's manhood with a firm grip. Misaki was almost at his limit, only a little more and he felt like he would explode. He raised his hips to gain better access to the man's devilish hand.

"Nn...no…"

Usami narrowed his eyes at Misaki's flushed face. Taking a small amount of time to admire the boy's closed eyes, blushing cheeks and trembling mouth, he repeated, "Say it again." He pulled on the flesh with a strong tug and Misaki almost lost it.

"Pl-please, don't st-…."

The older man smiled and squeezed the base of Misaki's erection to stop him from reaching his climax. "Say. It. Again."

"...Us-Usagi-san…"

Usami smiled and let go of Misaki, letting him come. After riding out the wave of euphoria, Misaki blushed bright red and stared at the _man _who had done it.

"I think you'll do instead of Takahiro...Yes, you'll do quite nicely." Usami smirked and leaned down to kiss the boy beneath him. Misaki's eye's widened and he began to struggle again.

"Mmph!"

"Sleep." Usami commanded. Misaki felt his body become heavy, and he couldn't think since his mind was slowly losing consciousness.

"Misaki, I'm home!" Takahiro entered the room and saw a man straddling his brother. Usami looked up and Takahiro fell to the floor with his hands over his head when he saw Usami's eyes. He suddenly remembered what had happened ten years ago in the cemetery.

_"So it's agreed, you give me your body and I take care of Mitsuko."_

"After _ten years you get to have me. I want to make sure Misaki is old enough to be on his own." Takahiro really didn't want to go through with this deal, but it was the only way to save Misaki. With fumbling hands, he slowly began to write his name on the dotted line. _

_"Yes, yes, of course. Oh, by they way...you won't remember any of this conversation." Usami's eyes turned blood red as Takahiro signed the contract. _

_"WAIT! What?! Then how am I supposed to know to leave Misaki everything when he reaches eighteen? How I am supposed to know...to know...not to fall in love?" Takahiro thought of a girl he met just the other day on the street. Her name was Minami and Takahiro was sure it was love at first sight. _

_At hearing the word 'love' Usami laughed, but it wasn't a loving or fond laugh. It seemed to contain no emotion and was full of emptiness. "Love? Such a thing does not exist." _

_Takahiro blacked out._

"It's you! You're the man from that night!" Takahiro exclaimed, sill holding his head in pain from the sudden onslaught of forgotten memories.

"It's lucky for you that I find your brother...a more suitable body than yours, eh?" Usami picked up Misaki bridal style.

_What's happening? Is Nii-chan home? Nii-chan...what's happening?_

"NO! The contract was signed by me, not Misaki! You have to take me!" Takahiro yelled, clutching onto the wall for support.

Usami laughed mockingly at Takahiro's outburst. "Well, you should have known not to make a deal with a demon."

"This isn't fair!" Takahiro gathered all of his strength and charged at  Usami.

Usami simply dodged the attack and spoke three simple words before disappearing with Misaki.

"Life isn't fair."

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

Well, this is my new story. Hope you enjoyed it^^. If you liked it please review. A lot of people put stories on story alert, which is a good thing don't get me wrong, it's just that reviews are nice to read^^;;

AH USAGI-DEMON xD


	2. Twisted

**A/N: **WOW, so many reviews & alerts :D Thank you so much, you have no idea how happy they made me! I know my grammar/sentence structure could use lot of work, but please be patient as I figure out how to become a better writer. When I went back to reread the first chapter it seemed liked I rushed the ending...I'm sorry ;_; I'll go back and edit when I have some free time. With that said, please enjoy Chapter 2 of Vermilion Rose.

_*thoughts are in italic_

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Sunlight streamed through a bay window, awakening the eighteen year old boy beneath the sheets of an oversized bed. Misaki groggily rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up, idly noting how comfortable the bed felt. He pulled the curtains from the overhead canopy aside and examined the area he was currently in.

_Where-where am I? The last thing I remember is…AHHHHH! That pervert! Usami did...that...Wait! Where's Nii-chan?! I thought I heard his voice before I fell asleep...and Usami said something about a demon? _Misaki paused in his thoughts and laughed aloud. _Yeah right, like demons exist in modern day Japan! I must have heard wrong. _

Thanks to the memory of the previous night Misaki was now wide awake. He jumped off the bed and walked around the small, yet surprisingly cozy room. The walls were painted a dark crimson and were decorated with various pictures, some of people, others random objects. Large gold candles were spaced evenly about every two feet and were high enough off the ground the Misaki could barely reach them while standing on his toes. Intricate woven tapestries adorned the walls next to the large bay window, located directly across the bed he had slept on.

He leaned over the window seat and glanced out to see how far he was above the ground. _Great this is at least four stories high. Well, there are bars on the windows anyway. It's not like I'm going to jump through them._ The room also contained a desk, a bookshelf and a small olive green sofa resting on a golden carpet that lead to two doors.

Taking a chance he reached for the knob of the first door and discovered it was locked. Cursing under his breath, he turned to try the other one.

"Please be an escape," Misaki whispered. Upon opening the door he sighed in disappointment when he saw it was just a bathroom. Although it was a pretty decent size, containing a separate bath and shower, Misaki did not want to stay any longer than was absolutely necessary. He walked past the mirror and saw something sparkle near his chin in his peripheral vision.

"...What the hell?!" Misaki faced the mirror and gasped in surprise when he saw he was wearing a collar. It was a simple silver band, no wider than half an inch, with a small emerald set directly in the center. Frantically he tried to find the clasp by running his hands over the metal but discovered that it was smooth all the way around.

"Shit! This isn't good! What kind of freak does this sort of thing?" Misaki yelled in frustration. He left the bathroom, deciding to try the other door again. As he reached for the handle it began to move on it's own, indicating someone was about to enter. Misaki jumped in surprise and looked around the room for a hiding spot.

_Crap, where should I hide? _Quickly deciding that under the bed would be a good idea, he kneeled on the floor and lifted up the curtain blocking the way. Scrambling under the frame, he was grabbed around the waist and lifted over someone's shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going?" an arrogant voice asked. Misaki struggled as he was thrown none-to-gently on the bed by Usami. He backed into the corner until he hit wall, all the while glaring at the older man. Usami paid no attention to Misaki's protests and towered over the smaller boy.

"This is kidnapping! Let me go! Don't you understand that this is illegal?!" Misaki yelled, clutching the sheets protectively in front of his body.

Usami smirked and replied, "I am simply following the contract I made with your brother. If you do not agree, well, that's just too bad. You will be living here for the rest of your life." He dove down and pinned Misaki's arms above his head with one hand while his other hand grazed his stomach, lifting up his shirt.

"S-stop Usami-san!"

Usami paused in his movements and glared at Misaki. "What did you say?" he asked angrily, letting go of his wrists to grab his chin. Forcing Misaki to look at him, he gripped his chin tighter and narrowed his eyes.

"What?" Misaki was confused, 'Usami Akihiko' was the guy's name, right?

"That's not what you called me last night," Usami said in an irritated tone.

Misaki tried to remember what he had said the previous night. Drawing a blank, he sighed, becoming annoyed at the man holding him down. "…I don't know what you're talking about!"

Usami growled under his breath trying his hardest to be patient with Misaki.

_What the hell?! Did he just growl at me? WOAH! Just now...did his eyes flash red?! No….no, I'm just imagining things….it must be the light in this room. Okay, before this guy gets any angrier I need to figure out what I called him…_

Closing his eyes for better concentration, Misaki thought for a few moments frantically trying to remember the man's name. Blushing at the sudden memory of him moaning the name 'Usagi-san,' he asked in a small voice, "U--Us--Usagi-san?"

Usami's eyes lit up like a little kid who had been told that Christmas had come early. "Very good, Misaki, now let me give you a reward." Usami smiled evilly as he grabbed the boy around his waist and began to unbuckle Misaki's belt.

"NO! L-let go, you PERVERT!" Misaki shouted. Using all of his strength he pushed Usami's arms out from under his body and jumped off the bed. Running at full speed he sprinted out the door that Usami had left open.

_I'm getting the hell outta here! _Misaki thought as he turned another corner. He didn't care where he ended up, as long as it was far away from that man.

"So it's a chase you want?" Usami chuckled and slowly lifted himself up. Brushing off imaginary dust from his shoulder he left the room walking at a leisurely pace. "This will be fun…"

^^^^^^^^*********^^^^^^^^^

Misaki had been running for what felt like hours; his legs were throbbing from turning down hallways, jogging down spiral staircases and in some cases when faced with a dead end, going up small flights of stairs. He couldn't stop to rest though since he felt like he was being watched. Maybe he was just being paranoid, but he wanted to get out of this..._castle_...as soon as possible.

"Forget it! Three minutes won't kill me!" Misaki said as he stopped running, gulping down some much needed oxygen. He reached out with one hand to lean against the wall and held his stomach with the other. "What kind of house is this? It makes no sense!" he yelled in frustration. It felt like every turn he took ended up with him traveling further in the castle. Where was an exit sign when you needed one?

Misaki began to walk down the hallway, admiring the works of art on display when he felt the skin on the back of his neck rise. _There's that stupid feeling of being watched again! I don't see anyone though...maybe there are hidden cameras? _He glanced up where the wall met the ceiling and looked for any suspicious looking devices, but didn't find anything out of the ordinary. _Just in case I'll hide out in one of these rooms until I figure out a plan._

He randomly chose a door and looked over his shoulders to make sure no one was watching. Deeming it safe to enter, he turned the handle and walked inside. The first thing Misaki noticed was a large stone fireplace located in the middle of the room and it was lit, meaning someone had occupied the same room not to long ago. The second was the amount of books piled in every available space, and by every available space, he meant every available space. The bookshelf was so jammed pack full of various scrolls and novels that it was overflowing onto the floor. Piled next to the only piece of furniture (a shabby looking love seat) the books took over the whole room.

_This place is huge, why would you store all of these in one place when you have so much room? _Misaki thought, trailing a hand over the bookcase next to him. Absentmindedly he read a few covers on the spines of the books. _Humans: A breakdown of day-to-day life, The Seven Deadly Sins & Virtues, Memory and its faults, Occult Magic… _Misaki stopped reading when he reached a pile of yellowing scrolls. _Man, this guy takes a joke too far...I mean, come on, who's going to believe that he's a….a….demon?_

His thoughts were interrupted when he accidentally slipped on a pile of papers and tumbled into what he thought was a mountain of books, but turned out to be a wall of books stacked in front of a desk. Groaning in pain he slowly lifted himself up, but immediately fell down when his neck started to burn. Misaki grabbed his throat and began rubbing to decrease the unpleasant feeling, but it wouldn't go away. His fingers brushed the collar and an intense sensation of pain swelled up. _The collar is doing this?! _

"A human? Oi, _boy_, how did you get in here?" a disgruntled man asked impatiently. Misaki briefly raised his head, looking up through his bangs, and saw a man who looked to be about the same age as Usami sitting at the desk. He had shaggy chocolate brown hair and his face seemed to be set in a perpetual frown due to the crease on his forehead.

The older man rolled his eyes and mumbled, "Just great! Now I have to drop everything and get rid of this thing! Just when I was making some progress too...that jerk Akihiko better be grateful that I'm helping him with his paperwork." The man sighed and pushed back his chair continuing to rant about people who sit around all day.

"Wait! Pl-please help me get out of here," Misaki pleaded, still kneeling on the ground in discomfort.

The man blinked in confusion, this human wouldn't be asking to leave if he invaded their house in the first place, so that must mean this is all thanks to…"AKIHIKO!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

Misaki winced, covering his ears. "There goes my hearing," he murmured, slightly peeved at the loud yell.

The door flew open and in walked none other than Usami Akihiko, who appeared to be annoyed. Noticing Misaki on the floor he knelt down and touched the stone in the center of the collar. The pain immediately stopped and Misaki sighed in relief.

"Hn...Try something like that again, and it won't end well. The setting you experienced now was only a fraction of what it could be." Usami carefully picked him up and cradled him against his chest.

The man looked at the collar in displeasure. "Baka-hiro! Who the hell do you think you are? You know it is forbidden to keep a human as a..._pet_!"

"Hiroki, you of all people should know by now that I do whatever I want," Usami replied with a smirk. "Anyway this," he lifted Misaki's body up a couple of inches, "is my payment from a contract I made a while ago."

Misaki, now fully recovered from the collar incident, looked at Hiroki and immediately wished he hadn't. You could _see _the aura of anger enveloping him. He was clenching and unclenching his fists while breathing in and out slowly to reduce his anger.

"Why did you make a contract?! You know _we_ are the ones who are supposed to keep a handle on the amount of contracts made in _this_ city!!!!"

Despite the fact the man looked like he wanted to rip off Usami's head, the silver haired demon calmly answered, "Because I was bored."

"...FINE! Do whatever the hell you want, but if you get caught then DON'T COME CRYING TO ME! Whenever you're done with your _boy toy _get back to work! We have a lot of reports to review." Hiroki furiously began to pick up the books that Misaki had knocked over, mentioning words like 'spoiled' and 'selfish' under his breath.

"At least I have one," Usami idly commented, referring to _boy toy_, before leaving the room. He dodged the large textbook that was chucked at his head and shut the door.

The demon sighed and shifted the boy he was holding in his arms. "Before you ask any questions, I'll explain. Hiroki and I are in charge of keeping an eye on Tokyo and the amount of contracts made in the city. In short, too many contracts equals total chaos, understand? It is our job to handle any...complaints….from other demons, mythical creatures, you name it, that they might have. If anyone has a problem, then we sort it out," Usami grinned, "with force, if necessary."

Misaki blinked. "You still expect me to believe that lie? Demons do not exist, just as 'mythical creatures' do not exist!" He began to struggle in Usami's arms.

Usami sighed deeply and gently set Misaki down on a sofa. "I'll _show _you and then you will have to believe me." Misaki tilted his head in confusion, looking up at the taller man. What could he possibly do that would prove he was a demon?

Usami relaxed his shoulders and slowly stretched out his arms parallel to the floor. He then clasped his hands together in some intricate hand signal, causing his eyes to change from amethyst to scarlet. _Heh, that's probably some stupid trick… _What Usami did next, though, Misaki could not explain. With widened eyes he watched as two _feathered wings _appeared on his back. Misaki hated to admit, but the midnight black wings were one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. The tips were stained a dark shade of indigo and ended right above his knees. They arched over Usami's head, gracefully curving down his back.

After the transformation a few black feathers drifted towards Misaki and landed on his hand, causing him to awake from his stupor. Carefully, he picked the feather up and stroked it from top to bottom, not believing how wonderful the soft texture felt under his fingertips. Usami crossed his arms, amused at the boy's reaction.

"Now do you believe me?" Misaki opted to not reply and tried to think of some explanation that would prove what had just occurred was a dream.

"...That's it! I'm dreaming right now! That would explain _everything_!" He laughed as relief flooded his body. "I'll wake up any second now in my own room."

Usami narrowed his eyes, raising an eyebrow at the boy's stubbornness. "Well, if this is a dream, let's have some fun."

He straddled the boy, encompassing their bodies with his wings. For an outsider it looked like a protective shield of feathers had surrounded them. Capturing Misaki's lips with his own, he kissed the boy until the need for oxygen gave way. Usami leaned down, breathing in the human's scent before nibbling on his exposed neck. Why did this boy have such a strong effect on him?

"Wa-wait Usagi-san," Misaki whispered as he grabbed Usami's shoulders, accidentally brushing his fingers against the curve of the demon's wings in the process. Usami _moaned _and Misaki swore he saw the demon's eyes darken with lust. He tightened his hold on the body beneath him, trying to stay in control.

The sound of Misaki's stomach growling with hunger interrupted Usami's concentration and he glanced down at the blushing boy. _That's right, he hasn't had anything to eat since last night… _He climbed off the sofa, stretching his arms above his head. In the blink of an eye his wings disappeared.

"...Where did they go?" Misaki questioned innocently.

"Ah, that's a secret that will cost you."

Misaki pouted, looking away from the older man to study the pattern on the sofa. Usami chuckled and dipped his head down to steal a quick kiss from the unsuspecting boy. Misaki furiously wiped the back of his hand against his mouth, backing away from the older man.

Laughing at his reaction, he gripped Misaki's hand and pulled him towards the kitchen. "You're hungry, right? I'll make you something."

Misaki allowed himself to be led while he tried to think of anything but their intwined hands...and how niceit felt.

^^^^^^^^*********^^^^^^^^^

Now Takahashi Misaki wasn't one to brag, in fact he was very modest, and only boasted when the need arose. When Usami had told him he would make something to eat he didn't expect it to be a prepared meal from the refrigerator. That wasn't the problem though. The problem occurred when Usami chucked the meal _wrapped in foil _in the microwave, set it to the highest setting and turned the dial to twenty minutes.

Misaki, of course, felt justified in cursing the man out. He then went on to explain how to properly use a microwave and what _not _to place inside, unless you really wanted to watch a fire envelop your house.

So Misaki tied an apron around his back, found hanging on the pantry door, and started to cook a simple meal of some chicken and pasta. As he turned on the stove he glanced over his shoulder to find Usami sitting at the table staring at him. Quickly turning around he busied himself with cooking, trying to not to raise to much attention to the fact he was looking for anything that could help him escape.

_No telephones as far as I can see...maybe they just cell phones? I haven't passed any doors that go outside either. I have to find someway to contact Nii-chan so I can get out of here… _

"Um...So what do demons eat?" Misaki asked. _Please don't say humans, please don't say humans, please don't say humans._

Usami laughed loudly enough that Misaki turned around to stare at him in confusion. What was so funny?

"You," Usami paused to chuckle, "you think that we eat humans, don't you? You've watched one too many horror movies."

"WELL, _I_ WASN'T AWARE THAT DEMONS WERE REAL, SO HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT THEY DON'T EAT HUMANS?" he yelled at Usami and went back to cooking.

Usami smiled at the boy's reaction. "You know, I do believe I didn't tell you the complete truth. I could eat you but in a different way then you're thinking…" He walked over to Misaki and hugged him from behind. Misaki was confused by Usami's response, but immediately figured it out when the demon grabbed his..._private area..._through the apron.

"Hahahaha would you look at that? Food's done! Let's eat!" Misaki pushed Usami's hands away and walked to the cabinets to look for some plates. The demon only smiled and took a seat at the table, waiting to be fed.

After a quiet meal consisting of Misaki staring at his plate and Usami staring at Misaki, Misaki gathered the dishes and began to rinse them in the sink.

"That was one of the best meals I've ever eaten," Usami said as he watched Misaki drying a plate. The boy blushed in embarrassment and rubbed his neck, accidentally hitting the collar.

"Oi! Get this thing off right now!" he demanded, pointing to the collar on his neck.

Usami scoffed at Misaki's request. "No. It shows who you belong to, so you _will _wear it. If you try to escape the collar will give off an unpleasant sensation at first, but over time it will get worse until it reaches the point where you cannot walk."

Misaki narrowed his eyes. "What?! That's crazy! I didn't agree to any of this, take me home right now!" The demon glowered at the smaller boy.

"Fine, you can go home..."

Misaki gaped in disbelief; was he really going to take him home? Usami walked over to him and began to drag Misaki out of the room by his arm.

"But Takahiro will take your place. I can imagine it now, the disappointment on his face when I tell him he has to leave Minami behind and come live with me." Usami continued to rant while dragging Misaki through the house.

_Wait...no...I don't...I would never want that to happen! Not to Nii-chan...not to my only family…_

"WAIT!"

Usami paused, looking over his shoulder. "Yes?" he asked in a smooth voice.

Misaki looked down at the floor and grabbed onto Usami's shirt with both hands. "I'll stay," he whispered, clutching the fabric in his hands. "I'll stay."

_That sure didn't take long. _Usami turned around and picked up Misaki bridal style.

"Good decision."

^^^^^^^^*********^^^^^^^^^

Usami gently tucked Misaki, who had fallen asleep when he was carrying him, in his bed. He lifted his hand and ran his fingers through the brown locks, admiring the silky texture.

"Sleep well," he sad quietly as he shut the door. "Now to find Hiroki…"

^^^^^^^^*********^^^^^^^^^

"Really Akihiko, what were you thinking? That scrawny little brat is pathetic! Out of all the humans in Tokyo, why did you choose him?"

If Usami had known that Hiroki was going to nag at him, then he would have happily stayed in bed with Misaki. However, he had to accomplish something or his coworker would complain and yell at him for being lazy.

"Misaki...he's different. All humans are greedy and selfish, but Misaki...Misaki...he-" Usami was cut off as his cell phone rang.

"Akihiko, it's been a while! How's work coming along? You're not slacking off again, right?" a voice asked on the other line.

"Isaka-san, you may be my boss, but don't forget that without me Tokyo would be an utter mess." Usami replied, ignoring Hiroki's indignant shout of 'Hey! What about me?' in the background.

"You ass, you better be grateful for all the things I've done for you! Anyway there seems to be some weird cases that have appeared the past couple of days in the Red District. Some inside information points to that fact that _he _has had something to do with them."

Usami gripped his phone tighter. "Are you saying that it's-"

"Yeah, Haruhiko's back."

^^^^^^^^*********^^^^^^^^^

**A/N: **….is everyone still with me? Good. THERE IS PLOT!!! I wanted to post this chapter before I went back to school (tomorrow) so I hoped you enjoyed it! Uh...does anyone think Usami having wings is weird? Sorry about that^^;; They will play a major role in this story, so don't worry. I didn't just stick 'em in cause I wanted to. Also Usami may seem like a huge jerk sometimes, but it will all be explained in the next chapter.

Please review :) (especially if you have this on alert ^^)


	3. Bitter&Sweet

**A/N: **Thanks again for all the reviews; I'm really happy you are interested in the story :D

I'm just going to throw this out there: updates are going to take a little longer than usual, since I'm back in school and my classes this semester require a lot of time for study and writing. Don't worry though, I promise to reserve some time for my private writing a.k.a my stories posted here.

That said, please enjoy chapter three of Vermilion Rose...with some new appearances D

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

_Last Time In Vermilion Rose _

_"Really Akihiko, what were you thinking? That scrawny little brat is pathetic! Out of all the humans in Tokyo, why did you choose him?"_

_If Usami had known that Hiroki was going to nag at him, then he would have happily stayed in bed with Misaki. However, he had to accomplish something or his coworker would complain and yell at him for being lazy._

_"Misaki...he's different. All humans are greedy and selfish, but Misaki...Misaki...he-" Usami was cut off as his cell phone rang._

_"Akihiko, it's been a while! How's work coming along? You're not slacking off again, right?" a voice asked on the other line._

_"Isaka-san, you may be my boss, but don't forget that without me Tokyo would be an utter mess." Usami replied, ignoring Hiroki's indignant shout of 'Hey! What about me?' in the background. _

_"You ass, you better be grateful for all the things I've done for you! Anyway there seems to be some weird cases that have appeared the past couple of days in the Red District. Some inside information points to that fact that _he_ has had something to do with them."_

_Usami gripped his phone tighter. "Are you saying that it's-"_

_"Yeah, Haruhiko's back." _

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

Usami glared at the wall with an unreadable expression on his face. He tightened his hold on the phone and sighed angrily.

"Are you sure it's him?"

"As far we know, yes. Listen, I don't want a repeat of what happened _last _time so I'm going to be sending over back up."

"...Whatever," Usami said in a monotone voice before hanging up and shoving the phone in his pocket.

"Well, what did he say?" Hiroki ventured, looking up at the man who was staring at the floor with a glazed look in his eyes. After witnessing the sudden change in Usami's mood he wondered what their boss had said to piss off the demon that much.

Usami blinked and turned towards his partner.

"They think Haruhiko is back. Do me a favor and welcome the recruits from the agency...I need to take care of something." With that said Usami left the room.

"Oi, Baka-hiro! What the hell? What do you mean 'welcome the recruits'? Hey I'm talking to you!" Hiroki, annoyed at the other for not explaining anything, sighed. "Well, I guess I can't really blame him for being that way...especially after_ that _incident."

He stared off into space before shaking his head to rid himself of bad memories. Mumbling something incoherent he decided to get some work done before the so called 'recruits' showed up.

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

Misaki felt incredibly warm yet he couldn't figure out why. The blankets were of normal thickness so it wasn't them causing his discomfort and the temperature in the room, as far he could remember, was not above the typical setting. He really did not want to move from his curled up position on the bed but the heat was starting to get to him. Misaki groaned and went to stretch but found that he couldn't. Turning his head to see what was inhibiting his movement he was met with the sight of the demon curled around his body. Somehow he had snuck into the room while Misaki was sleeping and decided it would be okay to use him as a pillow.

That was a good decision on his part, right?

_Hell no._

Misaki struggled to leave the embrace without awakening the man. Carefully he encircled the large hand resting on his chest with both of his and gently lifted it up. He was surprised when the hand smoothly grabbed his fingers and resumed its resting spot upon Misaki's chest.

"Don't even think about it," a slurred voice said gruffly, clearly not happy at being awake. Misaki glanced over his shoulder to see Usami staring at him with one amethyst eye open. The demon tightened his hold on the boy and pulled him closer. Forcing Misaki's head under his chin, he nuzzled his hair and inhaled deeply. Usami proceeded to run one hand up and down Misaki's spine in a slow, teasing manner. Turning red, the younger did not know how to react to the demon's odd behavior.

"Sto- What are you doing?" he stuttered, lying still and letting Usami continue to cuddle him. The devilish fingers gently prodded the indent just below his hips, causing Misaki to stifle a moan with the back of his hand. He shivered as the demon continued his journey of exploring the soft spots on his body.

"Sleeping I believe. Is there a problem?" His hand continued to trace random patterns on Misaki's upper body, making the boy writhe with pleasure.

"...nhh...No." Misaki was too tired to argue and decided the heat felt..._good_. He convinced himself the warm butterfly feeling he was currently experiencing wasn't because of Usami's caresses, but because of a broken thermostat.

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

After a good hour of napping Misaki was completely rejuvenated. He had never felt so relaxed before in his life. Deciding that five more minutes wasn't going to hurt anyone, he snuggled deeper into the warmth of his pillow.

_This pillow is kinda...bulky…I wonder what's inside it? _

Blearily opening his eyes, he discovered that his "pillow" was actually the lap of Usami who was preoccupied with running his hand through Misaki's hair.

Commence freak out session.

"AHHHHHH!!! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Misaki yelled, backing up to the corner of the bed. He pointed his hand towards the demon in anger and continued to ramble on about how you are supposed to respect other people's personal space.

Usami raised his eyebrow and chuckled at Misaki's outburst. He snapped the novel he was reading shut and placed it on the bedside table.

"Hey, _you're_ the one who decided to use me as a pillow. It's not my fault that you find me undeniably comfortable, so I do believe you owe me an apology."

Misaki stared at the man with his mouth open; he couldn't believe that he had been the one to...cuddle...with Usami. _Cuddle is an understatement, it was more like I curled up next to Usagi-san like a cat. Gah! What's wrong with me?_

Ignoring Usami's request for an apology, Misaki opted to have a staring contest with the sheets on the bed. Absentmindedly he curled his fingers around the sheets while thinking about what had transpired a short time ago.

_That's right...I told Usagi-san that I would take my brother's place. I'll be living here for the rest of my life. _Shaking his head, Misaki looked down at his current attire in mild disgust; he had been wearing the same outfit since yesterday. Maybe he could ask Usami if it would be okay to get his clothes from home...and maybe talk to his brother one last time.

"Um...Usagi-san? Can I ask you something?"

Usami turned his head towards the boy, awaiting his question.

"Can I get some things from my apartment? I really need a change of clothes." Misaki glanced up at the older man. "And it would be great to see my brother again," he added in a small voice.

"No," Usami replied automatically, frowning at Misaki's request. "You live here now. I'll buy you anything you need." He stood and made his way towards the door.

"Wait!" Misaki jumped off the bed and grabbed onto his sleeve.

_Well isn't this deja vu? _

"Why can't I go back? I only want to see my brother one more time and get my stuff! It's not like I'm going to stay there!"

Usami turned around angrily, shaking Misaki's grip off his clothing.

"Fine…" Misaki smiled; he didn't think the demon would agree. "I'll go to your apartment and get your belongings." Misaki frowned. "Happy now?" Not waiting for Misaki's response, he turned to leave the room once more.

"NO! No, I'm not happy! Just let me come with you then!" Misaki ran towards the door, and stood with both arms spread out, blocking the exit. "Please, I want to see my brother!"

Usami narrowed his eyes at Misaki. He did not want him to see Takahiro again; it would only cause problems for them in the future. Opening his mouth to tell him to get out of the way, he closed it when he saw tears in the corner of Misaki's eyes.

"Damn brat," he mumbled and rubbed his head to quell an oncoming headache. Usami sighed, realizing that this kid already had too much power over him. "Fine, I'll take you with me. You'll have ten minutes, okay? You owe me one."

"Thank you." Misaki smiled and dropped his arms. Usami reached out to ruffle his hair and laughed when Misaki swatted his hand away.

"Let's go." He hugged Misaki to his chest and transported.

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

Misaki landed face first on the carpet in his room while Usami appeared next to Misaki's bed, not the slightest bit disturbed.

"Damn, wish you would've told me you were going to do that," Misaki said, referring to the mode of transportation, while rubbing his head. He look around his room and couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic; although he had only been away from home for one day, time had passed so slowly.

"Ten minutes," Usami reminded him as he walked towards Misaki's door leading to the kitchen. He leaned against the frame, keeping an eye on the boy's movements.

"...Yeah, I know." Misaki lifted himself up and walked towards his closet. He opened the sliding door and pulled out a suitcase and a small duffle bag. Unzipping the large traveling suitcase he started to throw shirts and jeans inside, not caring that they weren't folded. If someone had said you had ten minutes to pack your entire room, the last thing you are going to worry about is neatly folded clothes.

Misaki glanced at the clock on his nightstand.

_4:15...Nii-chan doesn't get home until 5:00 o'clock. I wish I had a phone in here...I'll just go to the living room and get my cell! Then I'll be able to text him._

Shoving the rest of his belongings and other random necessities in his suitcase he looked at Usami, who had lit a cigarette.

"Hey! Don't smoke in here!" Misaki stared at Usami, who was still blocking the only exit, while trying to think of a plan to get by him.

_I could just try to dodge him but he's really big; he could extend his arm and grab me. Uh, maybe I can distract him...but how?_

The sound of the front door opening snapped Misaki out of his thoughts. He smiled, realizing that had to be his brother coming home early. Usami even looked surprised, Misaki noted, at Takahiro's arrival.

_This will work!_

Thanking whatever deity had answered his prayers, he ran towards the door.

"Nii-chan!" he shouted happily. Takahiro looked up at the sound of his voice in disbelief. Misaki frowned when he saw what state his brother was in; there were dark circles under his eyes, his hair was sticking up in odd directions and his clothes were disheveled. He looked like he hadn't slept since he last saw him; in fact, he had been up all night looking for his little brother on the streets of Tokyo.

Usami cursed as he grabbed Misaki's wrist and pulled him back. He was not aware that Takahiro would be coming home early. He dragged Misaki into the room and swiftly picked up the luggage with his free hand. Takahiro, still in a state of shock of seeing his brother, only looked on as the demon held his only family member.

"Mi...Mi...Misaki!" Snapping out of his daze, he sprinted towards the pair. No one was going to take away his younger brother again! He would do anything to ensure his safety.

Feeling the familiar sensation of transporting run through his body, Misaki struggled against Usami's chest, pushing with all of his strength to get away. He was able to free one of his arms and reached out towards Takahiro. He only had a few seconds now!

"Nii-chan, don't wo-" he was cut off as they disappeared, leaving behind Takahiro who had just missed Misaki's hand. He fell to his knees and gripped the carpet the frustration.

"WHY? Misaki! Not again...not again…"

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

Enraged, Misaki punched Usami's arm as they landed back in the mansion. He gripped the fabric in his hands and began to pound his fists against the man's chest.

"Why." _punch. _"Did." _punch. _"You." _punch. _"Do." _punch. _"That?!"

He stopped his frail attempt at causing the other harm and wiped the back of his arm against his mouth. Taking deep breaths, he tried to calm down but failed when Usami reached out to touch his shoulder. He angrily pushed the man away and ran down the hallway, wanting to get away from the _demon _who wouldn't even let him say two words to his brother.

Usami watched as Misaki rounded the corner with a forlorn look in his eyes. Sighing, he leaned down to grab Misaki's things. Deciding to give the boy some time to cool off, he walked the opposite direction and tried not to think of what had just transpired.

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

"What the hell? Watch where you're going!" Hiroki yelled, pissed off that Akihiko's boy toy knocked both of them to the ground when he came barreling down the hallway. _Humans these days…I swear. _

"I-I'm sorry…" he apologized, carefully getting off the other.

Hiroki was about to say something sarcastic but when he looked at the boy's face he noticed tears gathering in the corner of his eyes. He sighed and stood, offering a hand to the human.

"Come with me, I believe we have some things to discuss. I'm Kamijo Hiroki," he said, trying his hardest to sound friendly. He even tried to smile but unknown to him it came out as a cross between a grimace and a scowl. _Akihiko must have done this to him...Damn! He always leaves his problems to me._

Misaki was hesitant at first; he wasn't sure if he could trust this man. Deciding to take a chance, he grasped Hiroki's hand and pulled himself up.

"Thank you Kamijo-san," he said while dusting off his pants. "My name is Takahashi Misaki."

"Takahashi, huh? All right, follow me." Hiroki hated to admit it but Misaki seemed well mannered, unlike the other humans he had dealt with in the past. He led the boy to the kitchen and told him to take a seat at the table. Pulling out two glasses from a cabinet located above the stove, he placed them on the counter and walked to the fridge. He pulled out a yellow pitcher and poured the contents into the cups.

Misaki thanked him when he placed the drink in front of him. Gently wrapping his hands around the cool glass, he took a sip and relished the sweet taste of lemonade. He cleared his throat and examined the man across from him, who was staring at the drink in disgust. Maybe he didn't like sweet things?

"Uh...Kamijo-san, what did you want to talk about?"

Hiroki sighed and sat the glass down on the table. Today definitely wasn't his day.

"Akihiko...he isn't always an inconsiderate jerk. Don't get me wrong, he is still completely incompetent and obnoxious; it's just that he has had some family issues in the past that made him the way he is today. How can I say this?" Hiroki paused and thought of how to word his next sentence. "I guess the best way I can explain is that he has trouble understanding other's emotions. He's never really had any solid relationships."

Misaki listened carefully to what Kamijo was saying. Although he was still pissed off at the demon for not letting him talk to his brother, he couldn't help but feel bad for him. Family troubles? No friends?

_He must be lonely._

"Kamijo-san, what about you? Aren't you Usagi-san's friend?" Misaki questioned, tilting his head in confusion. Earlier that day it seemed like the two had been getting along...

Kamijo stared at Misaki, wondering who exactly this human was. He chuckled and replied, "Yeah, we're friends...I'm one of the few though. I've only known Akihiko for about three years now. Unfortunately I was partnered up with a guy who does whatever he wants and doesn't care about the consequences."

Misaki nodded his head. _Maybe I can...maybe I can help him somehow._

"There is something else you should know. You see his brother, he ki-" Hiroki was interrupted when three people suddenly appeared in thin air and landed on the kitchen table they were sitting at, breaking it.

Misaki blinked, afraid to move from his seat. He looked at Hiroki, who had ended up on the bottom of the pile somehow, in horror. Was he okay?

"YOU OLD MAN! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?" a blonde haired boy, who looked a little younger than himself, yelled. He landed on top and was currently yelling at the older person under him.

"SHUT UP BRAT! I haven't transported in a while; you know back in the old days we used to WALK everywhere!" a man who appeared to be in his early thirties said to the younger one. He pushed the blonde boy off of him and the two began to argue about whose fault it was that the table was broken.

"Hey are you okay?" the man above Hiroki asked, reaching a hand out in case the other needed help to get up. He looked genuinely concerned for him. Misaki was surprised at how tall the man was...he could definitely be a basketball star, no question!

"WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHO ASKS SUCH A RIDICULOUS QUESTION?" Hiroki cradled his forehead. He glanced up at the oaf who had landed on him, about to say another nasty retort, but shut his mouth when he noticed how…attractive...the other was. Blushing, he swatted the man's hand away and stood up.

"Who the hell are you people?!" he shouted, trying not to stare at the tall male.

"Hirokiiiiiiiiiiiii! My sweet honey!" the older male who was arguing with the younger one ran to hug Hiroki, but was stopped when the blonde boy grabbed his arm.

"Miyagi? What are you doing here?" Hiroki looked like he wanted to run far far away from the man.

"We are your backup for the upcoming mission! Isn't this great? Now we can spend _all _day together. Ah wait...I have to train this brat-" Miyagi was cut off as the younger boy punched him in the arm.

"The name's Shinobu old man!" Shinobu yelled, quite loudly, at Miyagi and the two began to argue again. Hiroki shook his head and turned towards the taller man.

"And who are you?" he mumbled, not expecting the male to perk up and smile. _He's just like a big dog..._

"My name is Nowaki, I look forward to working with you. I graduated at the top of my class from the academy three months ago, but don't worry, I've had plenty of training."

"...JUST GREAT! Isaka's idea of backup is a newbie, an old man and a brat that likes to brag! Perfect!" Hiroki complained, feeling the stress build up.

Nowaki furrowed his brows. "I can show you my power or you can train me yourself. You can do whatever you like Hiro-san."

"What did you just say!" Hiroki pointed at Nowaki. "Look here, don't go calling people who you don't even know by their first name!" He couldn't believe the nerve of this guy! He sighed loudly. "You three, go pick an empty room and get out of my sight." Hiroki turned and left to go back to his study. Books didn't yell...books didn't talk back...and books weren't physically attractive in any way shape or form. Yes, right now Hiroki wanted to sit in front of the _quiet _fireplace and read a book.

Miyagi went to follow Hiroki, but was dragged out of the room by Shinobu who declared he wanted to train. Nowaki turned towards Misaki, who watched the whole spectacle from his seat, and smiled.

"Hello." A simple greeting.

"Uh...hello. I'm Misaki," he said, offering a shaky smile in return. How many more of these people was he going to meet while living here?

"What do you make of Hiro-san?" he asked, leaning against the counter. Misaki thought for a few moments before replying.

"I'm sure he has a soft side although he loses his temper quickly…" he trailed off, thinking of his encounter with the demon earlier that day and just a few minutes before the other's arrival.

"I see. Thank you Misaki-kun." Nowaki waved goodbye and walked down the same hallway Hiroki had taken.

"...Weird. This whole house is weird." Misaki walked around the broken table and randomly picked a direction to travel.

_I wonder what Kamijo-san was saying before he was interrupted...something about his brother?_

Misaki shrugged and continued his journey in search of Usagi-san.

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

**A/N: **All right, all three couples are now introduced! Sorry this chapter was a filler, but it needed to be done to introduce the characters. Looking back I feel bad for Takahiro...well this isn't the last time we see him! The ACTION will continue, don't worry :D

Please review, they encourage me to write. (*cough*lemonsnextchapter*cough*) ….there is a reason for my madness….and why this fic is rated M for mature xD


	4. Hot&Cold

Holy crap. 100+ reviews for _this!!! _Thank you very much! They made my bad days a whole lot better :D

(It's been a while. Please forward any complaints to my professors.)

So school is taking up about 90% of my life D: It's really time consuming but I have to admit I do enjoy *most* of it. I could really do without the final papers and midterms, but hey, something has to be counted for a grade, right?

But seriously 100 reviews ;w; I love each and every one of you who have reviewed, added this to their fav story/story alert and read my story!

Without further ado, please enjoy chapter four of Vermilion Rose.

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

_Previously_

"_...JUST GREAT! Isaka's idea of backup is a newbie, an old man and a brat that likes to brag! Perfect!" Hiroki complained, feeling the stress build up._

_Nowaki furrowed his brows. "I can show you my power or you can train me yourself. You can do whatever you like Hiro-san."_

"_What did you just say!" Hiroki pointed at Nowaki. "Look here, don't go calling people who you don't even know by their first name!" He couldn't believe the nerve of this guy! He sighed loudly. "You three, go pick an empty room and get out of my sight." Hiroki turned and left to go back to his study. Books didn't yell...books didn't talk back...and books weren't physically attractive in any way shape or form. Yes, right now Hiroki wanted to sit in front of the quiet fireplace and read a book._

_Miyagi went to follow Hiroki, but was dragged out of the room by Shinobu who declared he wanted to train. Nowaki turned towards Misaki, who watched the whole spectacle from his seat, and smiled._

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

_That freaking idiot! Who the hell does he think he is, calling me by first name so formally! _Hiroki stormed down the hallway in anger. Every event that recently occurred only brought more stress upon the man. First Akihiko had broken _their own rules _by making a contract with a human and bringing him to _their _home without permission from Hiroki. Second, a brat from the academy that "graduated at the top of his class" calls him by his first name, and acts like a giant show off! Then to top it all off Isaka sends a man old enough to be retired, a recently trained recruit and a complete newbie as back up for one the most dangerous demons alive?

_I really need a vacation._

Hiroki paused in front of his study and sighed loudly. He reached out and slowly pushed the door open, expecting to be greeted with the sight of his study, not Usami Akihiko reading over some papers on his sofa.

"Oi, Bakahiro what do you want now? Do you mind getting the hell out of here before I-" Hiroki paused and realized asking Akihiko, who was as stubborn as a mule, to get out was just a waste of breath. "Never mind, I'm going to do some research on the recent murders in the Red District."

Usami rose an eyebrow at the change in Hiroki's demeanor, but brushed it off as Hiroki's whim. He placed the papers he was holding on the sofa and stretched. "Have the recruits arrived yet?" he asked with slight interest. Usami noticed Hiroki frown immediately after the words left his mouth and wondered how bad the recruits were to get that kind of reaction.

Hiroki held his head in his heads, trying to quell an oncoming headache. "Miyagi is one of them, plus two novices. What have you done to Ryuichiro to piss him off this much?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Isaka-san just does whatever he wants," he replied while shrugging his shoulders.

"Just like someone else I know," Hiroki whispered under his breath, but apparently wasn't quiet enough as Usami narrowed his eyes at him. "Hey, I'm just telling the truth! Oh that reminds me, take care of that human you brought back. He's a good kid; you don't find too many of them around anymore," Hiroki said as he began typing on his laptop. "Be careful, ok? You know what happened the last time Haruhiko showed up in Tokyo," he added, sounding genuinely concerned for the other demon.

Usami stood up in anger at Hiroki's statement. "Why does everyone insist I remember what happened? First Isaka and now you!" he said in an annoyed tone. He walked towards the exit and yanked it open, slamming the door against the wall. Looking over his shoulder he said in a quiet voice, "The past is the past. I do not ever intend to repeat it...and if anything happens, I'll protect Misaki no matter what." With those parting words he left the room.

"You know I am only looking out for you!" Hiroki yelled from his position at his desk. He sighed and looked at the spot Usami was standing in just minutes before. "At least close the door when you storm out of a room!"

Shaking his head, he tried to focus on work. He accessed the database that held information about the most wanted criminals in Tokyo and began reading reports on Haruhiko.

"Wow, I never knew that guy was responsible for so many crimes; there must be hundreds of reports here," he muttered scrolling down and seeing all the reports that contained information about their next target.

"To be precise there are exactly three-hundred and seventy-two crimes recorded for Haruhiko," a calm voice replied.

Hiroki jumped in surprise at the sound of the other voice. He quickly turned around and came face to face with Nowaki, who had been looking over Hiroki's shoulder. "What the hell are you doing?! How long have you been there?" he yelled and scooted back, trying to get some room between them.

"I came in about five minutes ago, Hiro-san," Nowaki replied and smiled at Hiroki, who looked extremely pissed off.

_He has a nice smile...GAH! What am I thinking?_ "You're lying! I would have detected your presence! And my name is Kamijo Hiroki, not Hiro-san!" he said. He stood up and walked over to the door. "Now get out of here, I have work to do!" he yelled while pointing his hand toward the empty hallway.

Nowaki remained stationary, completely undisturbed at Hiroki's anger. Instead of leaving the room he walked over to Hiroki and leaned down. "I can teach you to hide your aura if you want; it's one of the many things I learned at the academy."

Hiroki laughed. "Oh you want to teach me? I believe I should be the one to teach you! Let's start with manners shall we?" he said in an arrogant tone.

Nowaki frowned and replied, "Let me prove just how much I have learned."

"Pfft, and how are you going-" Hiroki was cut off as Nowaki advanced forward. In the blink of an eye Nowaki was behind Hiroki and swiftly secured the older demon in a headlock.

"See," he whispered into Hiroki's ear, "what I am capable of?"

He blushed and struggled to get free from Nowaki's grip. Hiroki was stunned at how fast the taller man moved. _I didn't even see him coming...What the hell? This isn't like me! I'll_ _show him just how powerful I am!_

Focusing all of his strength into his arms he managed to break free from the grip and turned around, aiming a blow to Nowaki's chest. Nowaki simply dodged the attack by ducking the punch and dived forward to tackle Hiroki around the waist. Landing on top, he pinned the older man down by his wrists.

"Forgive me for being rough Hiro-san, but I only want to show you that I can help in this case." Nowaki bent down to examine Hiroki's face. Gently he laid his hand upon a small scratch on Hiroki's cheek. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Hiroki tried to keep his emotions in check. "Of course not! Now would you mind getting off me?" He turned his face away and mumbled, "Maybe you do have _some _experience…"

Nowaki smiled and placed his other hand upon Hiroki's face. Hiroki looked up in surprise at Nowaki's actions. "What are..." he trailed off, unable to process what exactly was going on. Nowaki leaned down so that only a couple on inches were left between their faces.

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

Misaki walked down the hallway in search of Usami, thinking about what Kamijo-san told him. _He said that Usagi-san had family issues, implying that his relationship with his brother most likely has been a bad one. I can't even imagine hating my brother, I love Nii-chan so much...so much that I decided to stay with Usagi-san in place of him. _

Misaki shook his head and tried not to think about never being able to see his brother again. He kept on walking but stopped when he recognized a painting on the wall. _If I remember correctly, then Kamijo-san's room is right up ahead! He'll know where I can find Usagi-san._

He took a few more steps and looked into the doorway. "Sorry to bother you Kamijo-san, but could you tell me…" he blinked and turned around quickly when he noticed Nowaki lying on top of Hiroki. He blushed and muttered a hurried apology. "So sorry! I...um...never mind! I'll just keep looking!"

"Wait Takahashi! Get off of me brat!" Hiroki yelled, cheeks tinted pink, and pushed the older man up. He quickly adjusted his clothing and pointed his finger at Nowaki. "You. Get out. Now." He then pointed at Misaki. "And you didn't see anything. Akihiko's room is another floor up, take the stairs at the end of this hallway." Misaki bowed in thanks.

"Good bye Hiro-san," Nowaki said with a smile. "I'll stop by later."

Hiroki narrowed his eyes at the taller male and proceeded to slam the door in his face.

Nowaki laughed quietly and turned towards Misaki, who looked on in awe at the taller male. Wasn't he at least a little bit afraid of Kamijo-san's temper?

"...So you just lost your balance right? I know how that room is jammed pack full of books, even I tripped over some," Misaki laughed and glanced up at Nowaki.

"No, it was on purpose."

Misaki's eyes widened. "Oh...um...I see. I need to go find someone. I will see you later Kusama-san, it was nice talking to you again!"

"Good bye Misaki-kun," Nowaki said and left to find a room to stay in.

Only one thought was running through Misaki's head as he jogged down the hallway: _Is every demon gay? _

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

Misaki sighed in relief when he reached the stairs that would hopefully lead him to Usagi-san. Admiring the wrought iron spiral staircase, he gripped the railing and began climbing them one by one. He tried not to think about walking in on Nowaki and Hiroki since it reminded him of the first time he met Usami….and what happened to him.

He paused in the middle of the staircase and blushed at the memory. _Usagi-san had been the first one to do that to me...with his….hand. He's such a pervert!!! Augh! Why do I want to find him again?_

Misaki turned around and was about to step down but stopped when Hiroki's voice entered his thoughts.

_He doesn't have any solid relationships. He has trouble with his family. He doesn't understand other's emotions._

"That's right...Usagi-san is lonely," Misaki whispered and clutched the railing. He began to climb the stairs once more at a normal pace.

"...And I know how that feels."

When Misaki reached the top of the staircase he was surprised to find that there was only one door on the entire floor. He stood in front of the entrance and glanced both ways, making sure that this was the only one. Reaching out, he gently grabbed the knob and pushed it open.

"Usagi-san?" Misaki called out as he entered the dark room. "Are you in here?" Squinting his eyes, he tried to see if he could find a light switch. He fumbled around the wall for a minute before he gave up and ventured forth into the dark abyss to see if could find a window to let some light in.

Carefully he took a step forward, and almost fell as he caught his foot on something hard. Regaining his balance, he knelt down on one knee and tried to find what he tripped on. His hand brushed something ridged and he felt along the carpet to discover it continued for quite some time.

_...Are these…? _Misaki's question was answered as a toy train bumped into his hand that was lying on the track. _Train tracks? What is a toy train doing in Usagi-san's room? _

He lifted his hand and let the train continue it's journey. Confused, he stood from his kneeling position and inched his away across the carpet. When he reached the wall he felt along the edge until he came upon a curtain.

"Finally! It's about time," he muttered, slightly peeved at the fact it was taking so long to find a light source. He pulled back the curtains on the oversized window and turned around.

"What. The. Hell." Misaki was extremely perplexed when he saw what kind of room he was in. Stuffed bears of all sizes were found in every corner of the room, train tracks were intricately weaved around the bed, flags hung from the tall ceiling and stuffed animals of every kind were seated upon shelfs. In short, toys were _everywhere_. The only things that couldn't be classified as children's objects were the dresser nestled in the corner of the room and the nightstand next to the bed. His gaze traveled to the oversized bed and landed upon a bear that looked as big as he was, lying under the covers.

_Odd. Definitely odd. _

"I must have the wrong room. There is no way _this _could be Usagi-san's!" Misaki stepped forward, intent on finding Hiroki to ask him where Usagi-san's room was located one more time, but was stopped as two arms wrapped around his waist to pull him back.

"How did you find my room?" Usami asked as he nuzzled the boy's neck.

"..._THIS _is your room?!" Misaki tilted his head in confusion. "What's with all the toys, Usagi-san?"

"What does it matter?" Usami asked as he began to nibble on the top lobe of Misaki's ear. The boy began to struggle as Usami nipped down his neck.

"Usagi-san, stop it...it," Misaki pushed the demon's arms away and jumped forward out of his grip, rubbing his neck, "feels weird." Usami frowned and advanced forward, causing Misaki to back away until his knees hit the bed. "Uh, Usagi-san, what are you doing?" Misaki laughed nervously and tried to scoot around the edge of the bed.

Usami placed one hand on Misaki's chest and pushed the boy backwards, causing him to fall onto the bed. He climbed over Misaki's body, pinning him to the bed, and leaned close with a serious expression on his face.

"About what happened today, I'm sorry it had to happen the way it did. I wasn't expecting your brother to come home early. You weren't supposed to see him." Usami watched as Misaki narrowed his eyes and turned his face away. He gently grabbed the boy's chin and turned his face back to him. "Just listen, all right? It's been so long...I've finally found something that I truly want, and until I get you completely, I won't stop. I'll make you happy, I promise." Usami let go of Misaki's chin and hugged him. "I'll protect you," he said forcefully and tightened his grip on the young boy.

Misaki was left speechless after Usami spoke his feelings. He was shocked to find out that the demon apparently had a soft side, but could tell from the way Usami was holding him that the older male meant every word.

"Usagi-san, I…" Misaki was cut off as the Usami leaned down and captured his lips in a soft kiss. He closed his eyes and let Usami take control.

"Misaki, let me show you what you do to me." He began kissing the younger male's neck and trailed his hand under Misaki's shirt, his fingertips grazing over the small expanse of his hip. Carefully he gripped the edge of the fabric and pulled it over Misaki's head. Usami admired the blushing youth and smiled as Misaki shut his eyes and turned his face away. He held onto the boy's hips and lowered his mouth over one of his nipples and began to lightly suck on the pink bud while he pinched the other with his hand. Misaki jerked up into Usami's body and began to struggle.

"Usagi-san!...Wait...I don't know if-" Misaki stopped talking as Usami looked up from his waist.

"Trust me, Misaki," he said with such conviction that Misaki felt he could not deny him of anything. Looking into his amethyst eyes, the boy nodded and Usami kissed him hard while undoing Misaki's belt, causing him to moan into the demon's mouth. Usami leaned back and looked as Misaki tried to regain his breath from the long kiss.

Misaki let out a strangled moan as Usami reached into his unzipped jeans and rubbed the growing bulge. Straddling Misaki, Usami quickly took off his shirt and flung it to the side of the bed. Misaki looked up in awe as Usami's wings appeared his back, stretching over their bodies. They rustled a few time and then rested on his back. Misaki then looked at the well sculpted chest and blushed a darker shade of pink.

"Your wings?" Misaki questioned a little confused at why they suddenly appeared. Even though they were beautiful and extremely soft, it was odd to have them pop out.

"Well you see, I can summon them by focusing my energy, but it states of extreme emotion they appear on their own." The demon smirked as he pulled at Misaki's jeans and boxers until they too were relocated onto the floor. Misaki immediately forgot about the wings and tried to hide his exposed body but failed when Usami grabbed his chin and kissed him once more, distracting him from what he was about to do. He wrapped his hand around Misaki's growing erection and squeezed it lightly, causing Misaki to grip the author's shoulder.

"Usagi...what are you…!" Misaki flung his head back and tightened his grip on the sheets as Usami held his hips and pumped his erection a couple of times before taking the tip into his mouth and swirling his tongue around the head. Misaki couldn't hold back the moans that were escaping, and yet he really didn't care. What Usami was doing to him was _wonderful_.

Usami glanced up at Misaki's flushed face and bobbed his head, earning him more delighted sighs of pleasure. He stopped for a moment and reached over to the night stand to grab a small clear bottle out of the top drawer. Misaki watched in confusion as Usami drizzled some of the clear liquid onto his fingers.

"What is that?" he breathed heavily and his eyes widened as Usami smiled and pumped his erection while sliding one finger into his opening. "...Wait...I'm…" Usami continued to slide the finger in and out, matching his strokes to the boy's manhood.

"It's ok Misaki, I'm only preparing you," Usami said and slowly added another finger. Misaki whimpered as the other finger entered him and Usami leaned up to kiss away the tears gathering at the corner of the boy's eyes. He unzipped his pants and said, "Relax, I promise this will feel good very soon."

_This...this is too much...all of these feelings…_

"Ah! Usagi-san!" Misaki shuddered as Usami withdrew his fingers and replaced them with the head of his penis. Usami reached down and entwined their fingers before slowly inching his way into Misaki. The boy closed his eyes in slight pain and gripped Usami's hands as the demon continued to push in.

"Misaki, breathe." Usami paused once he was all the way in and let Misaki adjust to the demon's width. Misaki moved slightly and moaned in pleasure as something made everything turn white. "There we go," Usami breathed deeply before pulling out slowly and thrusting forward, trying to find that same spot that made Misaki gasp in pleasure.

"Usagi-san!" Misaki felt like he was going to expire from shame from feeling so many sensations.

The demon smirked and set a steady pace, enjoying the feeling of Misaki's tight warmth wrapped around his manhood. He glanced at the fine sheen of sweat appearing on Misaki's body from their activity and smiled. Everything felt right.

Misaki dug his fingernails into Usami's hands and tried to form coherent sentences, but everything came out as a gasp or moan. Misaki groaned as Usami began thrusting faster, hitting his bundle of nerves that made him shake from the core of his body. The demon let go of Misaki's hand and pumped Misaki's leaking erection, feeling he couldn't last much longer.

Misaki reached out and grabbed onto the arch of Usami's wing by mistake and Usami let out a long groan. His eyes darkened with lust and he paused in his movements. Misaki shivered as Usami stared directly into his eyes. "Don't ever touch my wings when I am in this state, unless you want to be thoroughly ravished until you cannot move." Usami picked up his pace of thrusting and Misaki could only nod his head in understanding. "They are an extension of my body and a huge erogenous zone," Usami continued to say while thrusting into Misaki's tight heat.

All the stimulation sent Misaki over the edge and he came, shooting his seed onto Usami's chest. Usami felt Misaki tighten around his penis, causing him to come right after Misaki.

Usami pulled out and laid down next to the panting boy. He cuddled the boy and nuzzled his neck while inhaling the boy's distinct scent. "Are you okay?" Usami asked and placed a quick kiss on his neck.

Misaki struggled to regain his breathing and looked over his shoulder at Usami. "What do you think?" he questioned sarcastically, but couldn't help the blush that spread across his cheeks as Usami wings rustled as the older male laughed.

Usami smiled and kissed Misaki, causing the boy to squawk in protest. "You are just too adorable, you know that?" Misaki was about to make a retort but Usami tightened his hold around Misaki's body and rested his head on his shoulder, whispering sweet nothings into his ear. Misaki sighed and closed his eyes relishing the warmth. He could have asked Usami to let go of him so he could get cleaned up, but he decided to rest and listen to the demon's words of love.

_Maybe I made the right choice...deciding to stay with Usagi-san, someone who needs attention, is definitely worth it. Yes...This is definitely worth it. _

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

"Come on Shinobu-chin, you've got to do better than that!  What if you were fighting an enemy who could use both earth and water? Hmm? You would be screwed if all you ever did was run into a fight without planning your moves."

Miyagi sighed and dodged another blow as Shinobu threw punch after punch. They had been magic training for the past two hours and were sadly not making much progress. Every time Miyagi asked Shinobu to use an element to defend himself, he would resort to only using physical blows.

Shinobu grabbed hold of his knees and tried to regain his breath. Raising an eyebrow at his student's behavior he questioned, "You're usually a lot more focused, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling sick?"

Miyagi approached the bent over male and reached out to Shinobu. The younger male jerked up and lashed out with a fire attack. Miyagi quickly jumped back and landed in a crouched position, staring angrily at Shinobu.

"NOTHING'S WRONG! I'LL SHOW HOW GOOD I'VE BECOME!" The younger male shouted and rushed forward to attack Miyagi. Confused at Shinobu's outburst, Miyagi let the boy get close before he grabbed his wrists and pinned him to the ground.

"Now I'm going to ask you one more time, what's wrong with you today?" he asked a little more nicely. Miyagi looked at Shinobu who stopped struggling when Miyagi began to talk.

"...I...I want to catch up with you. You're on such a higher level than me I-" he paused and looked off to the side. Furrowing his brows, he huffed angrily. "You wouldn't understand."

"Why do you care so much about being the same level as me? Why does it matter?" Miyagi questioned and sighed. _I could really use a smoke right now._

"So...so...SO I CAN DO THIS!" Shinobu pushed up from the ground and kissed Miyagi full on the lips. Miyagi's eyes widened at the sudden intrusion of Shinbou's tongue. The boy blushed after the quick kiss and quickly got up. He turned and ran back into the mansion in embarrassment. "I hope you know YOU'RE responsible for this!" he shouted and slammed the back door shut.

Miyagi looked up as Shinobu ran, wide-eyed and confused as hell as to what just happened. "I'm responsible? Responsible for what?!" Miyagi stood and began to walk back to the mansion, intending to find out what exactly Shinobu had meant.

^^^^^^^^****USAMIMISAKI*****^^^^^^^^^

Wow this chapter turned out longer than I expected. Sorry it took so long to write ;_; I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner, ok? ^^ So this was the relationship chapter….DAMN I wanted to write Haruhiko in this but it got too long. Next chapter then will have a fight between Haruhiko and all our junjou good guys xD

Note: I swear I just didn't put Usami's wings in the story for the sex. They do have a purpose xD

Other than that, please review!!! :D


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